The main security concerns for VoDSL services lie in three areas: content stored on the central server, content distributed via IP multicast and content stored locally in the home domain, Conditional access systems will encrypt content at the headend and it remains encrypted until it reaches the set-top where either software or a smartcard or embedded hardware solution decrypts it for broadcast or on-demand using a set of numeric keys. Whether software or hardware solutions offer the most cost-effective and, above all, safe solutions is the subject of hot debate within the CA industry, Software solutions benefit from the argument that they are cost effective, while breaches can be dealt with quickly, Hardware-based solutions involve delivering new smartcards to subscribers and set- Nagravision (IBC Stand 1,420) has two smartcard solutions but has recently developed a software solution for IP because, as Holger Ippach, vice-president and head of IPTV simply explains, "some people want it". Ippach says many companies do want smartcards though, "Some of the content providers are just used to it and telcos find it easier to negotiate deals with the content owners if the security is based around technology they know and understand," Hardware, despite the claims of some software-based companies, is not going to disappear; "You have some people really strongly saying that they want to keep smartcards because they work very well," says NDS' director of broadband internet Jonathan Beavon. NDS (IBC Stand 1.171) provides bespoke solutions as part of its Videoguard system.
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